Beginning

Footnotes

1. Psalm 9:1 In these psalms we are perhaps in the period of the return from the Exile, toward the end of the sixth century; the foreign occupiers and the people who had remained in Palestine regarded returning deportees as intruders and they mistreated them. This is the first alphabetical psalm; in the Masoretic Text it is divided into two psalms, while in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate Psalms 9 and 10 constitute one psalm. This accounts for the difference in the numbering of the psalms in these versions.
2. Psalm 9:1 is predominantly praise of God for his royal blessings and glories, including deliverance from hostile nations, concluding with a short prayer for God’s continuing righteous judgments (see v. 5) on the nations.
3. Psalm 9:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. According to Muth Labben: nothing is known about these words.
4. Psalm 9:2 The praise rendered to the Lord by the psalmists in the Psalter is customarily public praise for his goodness and glory as well as the saving acts he has performed on behalf of his people. Some have described such praise as the forerunner of the Gospel preaching in the New Testament. See also note on Ps 7:18.
5. Psalm 9:3 Name: see note on Ps 5:12.
6. Psalm 9:12 Enthroned in Zion: the Lord is enthroned not only in heaven (see Pss 2:4; 113:5) but also on earth—in the temple of Jerusalem from which he rules the world (see note on Ps 2:6; see also Ps 132:13).
7. Psalm 9:15 Daughter of Zion: a personification of Jerusalem and its inhabitants in accord with ancient Near Eastern practice (see Pss 45:12; 137:8).
8. Psalm 9:16 Under the Lord’s just rule and in accord with the law of talion (see Ex 21:23-25; Lev 24:19f; Deut 19:21), the wicked who attack others are punished by the very actions they perform (see Ps 7:16). But the needy (v. 19), those who are attacked, will be saved by their trust in the Lord. Thus, God’s honor and glory are vindicated when he judges and punishes the wicked.
9. Psalm 9:17 Higgaion: probably a musical notation.
10. Psalm 10:1 A prayer of one in trouble and seeking to be rescued, it explores the ways and motives of the wicked and calls on God the King to arise and defend the oppressed.
11. Psalm 10:4 In denying the action of Providence the wicked in effect denies God (see Pss 10:13; 14:1b; 36:2f; Zep 1:12), who is some far-off personage (Ps 10:5).
12. Psalm 10:6 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
13. Psalm 10:7 Curses, deceit, and threats: this text, which contains the three most common weapons of the tongue in Israel’s experience, is cited in Rom 3:14. Curses were believed to have real power over those upon whom they were leveled; deceit referred to slander and threats for evil purposes (see 1 Ki 21:8-15).
14. Psalm 10:15 See notes on Pss 5:11; 35.
15. Psalm 10:16 The Lord is the hope of the righteous (the poor) in a just world, for he is King forever. Because he is faithful to his covenant, he will defeat the heathen for he listens to the longings of the poor and establishes justice for them. Hence, no one on earth is to be feared.
16. Psalm 11:1 This is a confession of confident trust in the Lord’s righteous rule at a time when one’s wicked adversaries seem to have the upper hand. Friends counsel flight to a mountain refuge to escape trouble, but the innocent psalmist stands fast, for the Lord protects those who seek asylum in his temple.
    In praying this psalm, we should be mindful that although we can rely on God, we are never sure of ourselves. The Spirit of God is quick to help, but the “flesh,” human nature, is weak—so much so that we must ask not to be put to the test (see Mt 26:41) and must flee from it if this is possible and permitted (see Mt 10:23).
17. Psalm 11:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
18. Psalm 11:1 The psalmist remains confident in the Lord even though he is under attack by the wicked and receives counsel from his advisers to flee.
19. Psalm 11:2 The wicked are likened to archers setting traps; they are treacherous, furtive, and bent on maligning the upright and making them fall (see Pss 10:7-10; 37:14). Those who are upright: i.e., the righteous who know and love the Lord (see Pss 7:10; 36:11; 73:1).
20. Psalm 11:3 The psalmist’s advisers are concerned about the collapse of the foundations (i.e., the order of society; see Pss 75:4; 82:5; Ezek 30:4). This order has been established by the Lord at creation and is being maintained by him.
21. Psalm 11:4 The psalmist relies on God, who is seated on his heavenly throne—a symbol of his royal rule and authority to judge (see Pss 9:8; 47:9)—and totally against those who love violence. At the right time, he will mete out to the wicked the judgment they deserve, and he will deliver the upright and grant them access to himself.
22. Psalm 11:6 Fiery coals and brimstone: an image of judgment taken from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (see Gen 19:24; Deut 29:23; Ezek 38:22). Scorching wind: another image of judgment taken from the hot desert winds that blow over the Middle East and devastate the vegetation (see Isa 21:1; 40:7f; Jer 4:11). Their allotted portion: literally, “the portion of their cup.” The cup that God gives people to drink is a symbol for their destiny (see Ps 16:5; Mt 20:22; 26:39; Rev 14:10).
23. Psalm 11:7 Behold his face: an expression usually denoting access, especially to the king. Here the expression indicates access to the heavenly King, with reference to his presence at the temple (God’s royal house on earth). It is legitimate for us to see in this text an allusion to ultimate access to the heavenly temple (see Pss 16:11; 17:15; 23:6; 140:14).
24. Psalm 12:1 The psalmist, surrounded by the treachery and arrogance of sinners (see Mic 7:1-7), calls for help and is certain that God will judge them as their iniquity reaches its zenith. The words of the Lord can be fully relied on, whereas the boastful words of the adversaries are completely futile.
    We Christians can make this supplication our own, for we feel deeply every disorder in the social realm. Eager for justice, we are outraged by every injustice, every disloyalty and fraud in social relations.
25. Psalm 12:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation. Upon the eighth: see note on Ps 6:1.
26. Psalm 12:3 Hearts: see note on Ps 4:8.
27. Psalm 12:7 Purified seven times: the number seven signified fullness or completeness; hence the phrase means “refined through and through.” The words of the Lord are absolutely pure and true (see Pss 18:31; 19:8; Prov 30:5).
28. Psalm 12:8 The psalmist voices his confidence that, although the wicked are at present lording it over the righteous, God will take care of the latter.
29. Psalm 13:1 The suffering psalmist cries out to God in despair over his impending death and the triumph of his enemies. Suddenly (perhaps after a religious experience of some kind), his tone changes; he speaks from a heart brimming with complete trust in God and voices his joy and gratitude.
    In praying this psalm, we can think of Christ in his abandonment on the cross and provisional defeat by death, in the face of his enemies’ ephemeral success. We too experience the critical trial of God’s silence and apparent absence. Far from weakening our confidence in God, this eventuality should strengthen it.
30. Psalm 13:1 For the director: most likely a musical or liturgical notation.
31. Psalm 13:2 How long: see note on Ps 6:4. Hide your face: when God hides his face, the righteous become concerned (see Pss 30:8; 104:29), for when God’s face shines on people it brings deliverance and blessings (see Pss 31:17; 67:2; 80:4; 119:135).
32. Psalm 13:3 Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
33. Psalm 13:6 Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
34. Psalm 13:7 The Septuagint and Vulgate add another line: “I will sing to the name of the Lord most high.”
35. Psalm 14:1 The psalmist envisions the world divided into “the fool[s]” (also termed “evildoers”) and “the company of the righteous” (also termed “the poor” and “[God’s] people”). Although the fools act as though there is no God and persecute the righteous, the psalmist is confident that God will eventually punish evildoers and reward the righteous. Psalm 53 is a somewhat revised duplicate of this psalm.
    When Paul rereads this psalm, he will see in it a description of our sinful condition. No one is just in God’s sight; we all need to be saved by Jesus Christ (Rom 3:10-25).
36. Psalm 14:1 For the director: these words are thought to be a musical or liturgical notation.
37. Psalm 14:1 Elsewhere the psalmists included themselves among those who are not righteous in God’s eyes (see Pss 130:3; 143:2; see also 1 Ki 8:39; Job 9:2; Eccl 7:20). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
38. Psalm 14:2 The Lord: in contrast with what “the fool” (v. 1b) thinks, the Lord is very much in evidence and has his eyes on the whole earth. Seeks God: see Ps 15 for a description of those who truly seek God.
39. Psalm 14:3 After this verse, many Greek and Latin manuscripts add the Old Testament citations that were first combined in Rom 3:13-18.
40. Psalm 14:4 Evildoers: live by the violence of their own doing rather than by reliance on the Lord (see Ps 10:2-4).
41. Psalm 14:5 God is on the side of the righteous and, anytime he wishes, strikes sudden terror in the hearts of the wicked (see Deut 28:67; 1 Sam 14:15; 2 Chr 14:13; Job 3:25). Righteous: see note on Ps 1:5.
42. Psalm 14:6 Poor: see note on Ps 22:27.
43. Psalm 14:7 The righteous poor are identified with God’s people. Who will . . . Zion: another possible translation is: “Oh, if only salvation for Israel / will come forth from Zion.”
44. Psalm 15:1 The psalmist presents a summary of moral conduct in the form of an instruction to those who have access to God at his temple (see Ps 24:3-6; Isa 33:14-16; Mic 6:6-8). He indicates that sanctity of life is necessary for those who wish to approach God and emphasizes the social virtues of justice and charity.
    In praying this psalm, Christians keep in mind that by becoming man the Word has pitched his tent among us (see Jn 1:14), and in his body dwells the fullness of the divinity. In close contact and in profound communion with the body of Jesus, of whom she is the visible extension on earth, the Church constitutes the dwelling of God in the world (see 1 Cor 3:16f).
45. Psalm 15:1 Holy mountain: an ancient designation for the temple, the place where God dwells upon the earth (see Pss 2:6; 3:5; 43:3; 48:2).
46. Psalm 15:2 It is not sacrifices or ritual purity but moral righteousness that gives access to the Lord (see the basic covenantal law: Ex 20:1-17; see also Isa 1:10-17; 33:14-16; 58:6-10; Jer 7:2-7; Ezek 18:5-9; Hos 6:6; Am 5:14f, 21-24; Mic 6:6-8; Zec 7:9f; 8:16f). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8. Those who fear the Lord: a frequent expression in the Psalter (see, e.g., Ps 115:11), it refers to those who fear God and live in accordance with his will because of their reverence for him. Later it will take on a technical sense and refer to proselytes to Judaism not yet circumcised (see Acts 2:11; 10:2). Interest on a loan: laws dealing with interest on loans are found in Ex 22:24-27; Lev 25:35-37; Deut 15:7-11; 23:19f. In general, interest for profit was not to be charged to Israelites. Jesus went even further (see Lk 6:34f).
47. Psalm 16:1 A prayer for safekeeping, pleading for the Lord’s protection against the threat of death. It could also be called a psalm of trust. This psalm prepares the way for belief in an everlasting life with God. And it is easy to see how early Christian preachers could understand the final verses as a detailed prophecy of the Resurrection of Christ (Acts 2:24-28; 13:25).
    This psalm is in a special way the prayer of those who have “chosen God” in one or other form of consecrated life. Rarely has the joy of a life lived in the presence of God been expressed with such enthusiasm. The wonder felt penetrates to the innermost being of the believer (that is, the “heart,” which for the ancients was the seat of one’s thoughts as well as desires and affections).
48. Psalm 16:1 Miktam: its meaning is unknown. Some translate it as “song” or “poem”; others suggest that it means “in a low voice.”
49. Psalm 16:3 Another possible translation is: “As for the gods who are in the land / and the lofty ones, / I take no delight in them.” Saints: i.e., the godly who live on earth as opposed to the angelic beings who are heavenly. See notes on Pss 4:4; 34:10.
50. Psalm 16:4 Take up their names: that is, appeal to or worship them (see Jos 23:7).
51. Psalm 16:5 Cup: a metaphor referring to what the host offers his guests to drink. To the righteous the Lord offers a cup of blessings (see Ps 23:5) or salvation (see Ps 116:13), but he makes the wicked drink from a cup of wrath (see Jer 25:15; Rev 14:10; 16:19).
52. Psalm 16:9 The Lord, in whom the psalmist takes refuge, wills life for him (hence he has made known to him the path of life, v. 11) and will not abandon him to the grave, even though “heart and . . . flesh fail” (Ps 73:26). But implicit in these words of assurance (if not actually explicit) is the confidence that, with the Lord as his refuge, even the grave cannot rob him of life (see Pss 17:15; 73:24). If this could be said of David, how much more of David’s promised Son! So Peter quotes verses 8-11 and declares that with these words David prophesied of Christ and his Resurrection (Acts 2:25-28; see Paul’s similar use of v. 10b in Acts 13:35). Heart: see note on Ps 4:8.
53. Psalm 16:10 Holy One: the reference is first of all to David, but the psalm is ultimately fulfilled in Christ.